Border Patrol Expected To Deploy In Charlotte, New Orleans
The Trump administration has spent much of this year implementing an aggressive immigration crackdown across several American cities. On Wednesday, government documents revealed the Trump administration intends to deploy U.S. Border Patrol agents to Charlotte, North Carolina, and New Orleans.
A federal official told the New York Times that plans for the operation are still being finalized. Charlotte is expected to be the first city where Border Patrol will be mobilized without the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The deployment will take place after Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino exits Chicago. Federal agents will still be present in Chicago despite Bovino’s exit.
Border Patrol agents have been present in Chicago for the last two months, conducting “Operation Midway Blitz.” Judge Sara L. Ellis of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has repeatedly lambasted Bovino for the tactics Border Patrol has employed throughout their time in Chicago. After seeing footage of Border Patrol blatantly ignoring her order to limit the use of tear gas, Ellis called Bovino a liar. The news that Bovino and his Border Patrol thugs are leaving is great for Chicago, but has understandably led to concerns in Charlotte.
According to WCNC, several city council members and North Carolina state legislators released a statement addressing Border Patrol potentially conducting operations in Charlotte. “Today, as reports circulate of possible federal immigration enforcement activity in Charlotte, we want to speak directly to our immigrant neighbors: you are not alone, and you belong here,” the statement read.
“Immigrants make Charlotte stronger. More than 150,000 foreign-born residents live in our city, contributing billions to our economy and enriching every neighborhood with culture, hard work, and hope. We recognize the fear and uncertainty these reports have caused, and we commit to continue sharing verified information and connecting families to trusted resources,” the statement added.
The reason for the Border Patrol being deployed to Charlotte doesn’t quite pass the smell test. For starters, North Carolina is nowhere near the border. The push for Border Patrol in Charlotte seems to be in response to the tragic killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska while she was riding a light rail train. The man who allegedly killed Zarutska wasn’t an immigrant, though, just a deeply disturbed individual who did a heinous thing.
Republicans have tried to frame the Zarutska killing as an example of crime running rampant in Blue cities. Despite the high-profile nature of the crime, violent crime in Charlotte has decreased by 20% over the last year, according to police statistics. Interestingly enough, Border Patrol has tried to claim credit for declining crime rates in Chicago, despite crime already trending downward before they arrived.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry has previously called on Trump to deploy the National Guard to New Orleans, despite there being a similar decrease in crime in New Orleans. The Charlotte deployment is expected to be a quick operation before conducting a longer operation in New Orleans. Undocumented immigrants were essential in rebuilding New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Instead of creating an easier pathway to citizenship for those folks, we’re instead going to subject them and countless innocent citizens to Border Patrol’s inhumane tactics.
SEE ALSO:
Southern California Cop Intervenes As Plainclothes ICE Agent Pulls Gun On Civilian Driver
Clashes Between ICE And Protesters Escalate In Chicago
Border Patrol Expected To Deploy In Charlotte, New Orleans was originally published on newsone.com
